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EFL proficiency level and differences in Japanese secondary school

students’ views on the need for pedagogical change

Shirley O’Neill (oneills@usq.edu.au)

Language and Literacies Education, Faculty of Education, University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

Abstract

This research focuses on Japanese high school students’ views about EFL pedagogy and investigates whether their views differ according to their English language proficiency level as measured by the STEP test and their teachers’ pedagogical approach. It explores in greater depth this aspect of a larger study conducted by Ingram, Kono, O’Neill and Sasaki (2008). The views of those who performed at a higher level on the STEP test were compared with the views of those who reported lower levels of performance on the STEP test. Comparisons were made in relation to the two groups’ views on perceived changes to the way they may learn English given the opportunity. Insights into pedagogical issues are gained when these student views are considered in relation to teachers’ reports about their frequency of use of a range of language learning experiences. It was found that higher proficiency students tended to be more aware of the kinds of language learning experiences that would best facilitate their acquisition of the language and that their recommendations for change concurred substantially with the gaps identified in the teachers’ current practice. Overall, the research identifies a need for pedagogical change to facilitate students’ practical and functional use of English and the uptake of ICTs to link into communicating for real-life purposes in English. It highlights that students become more aware of the way they learn the language as their English proficiency increases. It also raises the issue of potential professional learning needs of EFL teachers and the priority for further research to investigate in more depth the possible constraints for both students and teachers in facilitating pedagogical change.

Keywords: English as a foreign language, languages pedagogy, language testing, secondary EFL learners, use of ICTs in EFL

Background

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ultimate engagement with their school, work and/or tertiary demands. It conceives that EFL pedagogy should endeavour to engage students in using the four skills to communicate and interact in the English language for real-life purposes, and that learning should involve development of intercultural literacy (Corbett, 2003). This also sets the expectation that learners should eventually be able to communicate with non-native speakers of English as well as native speakers of English. Teachers need to create a language learning environment that builds on students’ existing levels of language competence to provide comprehensible input. This means teachers need to be able to accurately assess and monitor their students’ language competence. Overall, today’s EFL teachers need to move away from the focus on method and adopt an approach that will maximise students’ intercultural literacy (Kramsch, 2002) and ability to communicate (Spada, 2007). As noted by Brown (2007, p.376) an approach is different from a method because it consists of “a unified but broadly based theoretical position about the nature of language and of language learning and teaching that forms the basis of methodology in the language classroom".

In addition, O’Neill and Gish (2008, p.205) raise the importance of assessment practices in relation to the need to ensure that both students and teachers receive feedback that is useful for improving pedagogy and learning. They note that “feedback needs to be constructive and systematic to foster students’ confidence, security, self-esteem and aspirations and allow teachers to make adjustments to their pedagogy and practice to improve learning". Thus, in this study the views of students who have participated in a high stakes testing program are considered and explored in relation to proficiency levels assessed by the STEP Test. Issues of testing and pedagogy are also of significance when one examines the nature of traditional and contemporary EFL teaching.

Importantly, research into EFL pedagogy (Folse, 2006; Robinson, 2008) currently identifies rote learning, drilling and practice exercises as discrete, isolated strategies that do not allow the learner to (Ingram & O’Neill, 2003). Similarly, the traditional testing of English through such exercises as multiple choice and fill in the missing word and the like (e.g. for subject verb agreement) do not provide the context for making meaning from the language and therefore support reliance on memorisation an rote learning. However, such practices do continue and are found to be useful in contexts where there are large numbers of students in classes and personalised marking and provision of feedback is prohibited by time (Locastro, 2001). With respect to the Japanese context, in spite of curriculum reform over the past decade there still seems to be difficulties associated with moving towards more communicative language teaching and even more so a recognition of the importance of intercultural literacy (Ingram, Kono, O’Neill & Sasaki, 2008). The results of Gorsuch’s (2001) national survey of Japanese high school EFL teachers' across nine prefectures identified several factors that may influence teachers’ lack of use of communicative language learning experiences. These included large class size (in excess of 40), the need to prepare for university entrance examinations, students' expectations, the need to focus on the set text book, students’ and teachers' English proficiency levels and teachers’ professional development.

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seen as providing positive washback, building confidence and providing a sustained need to use English for authentic communication. In the present research the opinion of students is gauged in relation to their perceived need to change their current language learning experiences. Their views are explored in relation to two levels of student-English language proficiency as measured by their performance on the STEP test and their teachers’ reported frequency of use of a range of pedagogical strategies. This exploration is seen as further illumination of the possible impact of globalisation through today’s information communication technology on EFL students’ perceptions of the way they prefer to learn EFL. In taking into account their English proficiency level and their teachers’ reported pedagogical activities, the research contributes to knowledge about the potential effect of recent government changes in language education policy in relation to curriculum and pedagogy for the particular context under consideration. Specifically, the research investigates if EFL proficiency level impacted upon Japanese secondary school students’ views on the need for pedagogical change in relation to teachers’ reported frequency of language learning experiences.

Methodology

A Survey Questionnaire (SQ) was completed by 632 Japanese EFL high school students and 47 of their EFL teachers from one prefecture in Japan (Ingram, Kono, O’Neill & Sasaki, 2008). In the present report student survey data were split to explore aspects of EFL pedagogy on the basis of students’ English language proficiency levels as measured by the STEP Test. The STEP Test is administered by the Society for Testing English Proficiency (STEP), which is Japan’s largest testing body (EIKEN, 2007). The STEP Test results are used for a variety of purposes including entry into some Western Universities where proficiency in the English language is essential. The STEP Test measures candidates listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and claims to engage more authentic assessment techniques in its approach. Comparison was made between students whose English language proficiency was categorized as Higher Level according to their self-reported STEP Test results (Higher Level STEP Test group) and students whose English language proficiency was categorised as Lower Level according to their self-reported STEP Test results (Lower Level STEP Test group).

The samples of participating schools, students and teachers

Schools

A total of ten high schools in one prefecture were involved. They varied according to type (coeducational/single gender), differing geographic location (urban/rural), and program (academic/general/specialist curriculum). However, all followed the specified English curriculum where learning English was viewed as important by the education authority.

Students

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[image:4.595.58.424.171.343.2]

number and proportion of each of these two groups of students who had visited an English speaking country (bearing in mind there may be overlap between activities e.g. a school excursion could involve home stay).

Table 1 Distribution of STEP Test takers’ purposes for and participation in visits to English speaking countries

Type of activity Students with higher-level STEP test English language proficiency n= 40 (18%) (2 did not answer)

Students with lower-level STEP test English language proficiency n= 46 (50%) (3 did not answer)

Studying English 57.5% (23) 48% (22)

Vacation 22.5% (9) 35% (16)

Vacation in home stay 7.5% (3) 6.5% (3)

School excursion 10% (4) 6.5% (3)

Living abroad 2.5% (1) 4% (2)

Overall, relatively few students had visited an English speaking country and for those from both proficiency levels who had, the main purpose was to study English. This was followed by visiting on vacation, visiting via school excursions and least of all, as one might expect, actually living abroad. The duration of such visits to English speaking countries was relatively short with only a minority of students with extended stays, thus the average time spent in weeks would not be expected to have a significant impact on students’ proficiency levels (Kohlmayer & Schindehutte, 2001; Mosher, 2002).

Teachers

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Teachers were provided with a list of twenty-six language teaching experiences (see Appendix A) based on Ingram, O’Neill and Townley-O’Neill (1999) and were asked to rate how often they used each one on a five-point scale of very often, often, sometimes, rarely and never. These ratings were then collapsed in to very often/often, sometimes and rarely/never. While the teachers were requested to add to the list as necessary any other language learning experiences that they used, none of the teachers added to this list. The students rated nineteen language learning experiences (see Appendix B) with respect to whether the amount of time they spent on each in their language classes was sufficient to support their learning of English. These reflected the items used in the research of Ingram, O’Neill and Townley-O’Neill (1999) and additional items identified as relevant to the Japanese EFL context, provided through consultations with colleagues in Japan (Ingram, Kono, O’Neill & Sasaki, 2008). The students rated each one according to whether there should be no change in the time spent learning English in that way or, more or less time should be allocated to learning in that way in the future. It is noted that there was not a direct match between the specific learning experiences in the teacher and student surveys. This was because of the need to maintain links to replicate previous research (Ingram, O’Neill & Townley-O’Neill, 1999). However, comparison was able to be made because it was possible to group the various learning experiences in relation to the seven areas of Listening and speaking, Reading and writing, Communicative strategies and opportunity to communicate with English speakers, Culturally related learning experiences, Rote learning, drilling and practice exercises, Language interactions through playing games and use of media, and Use of English for work and study. The following section presents teachers’ and students’ responses in graphical form. It is acknowledged that there is more than one way that these specific learning experiences may be grouped and that where there is obvious overlap a learning experience may appear in more than one group for ease of comparison.

Listening and speaking

Figure 1a shows that while the majority of teachers (72%) used Listening to recordings, radio or television very often/often and most others sometimes, this contrasted with the lack of use of learning experiences to facilitate more authentic, purposeful communicative tasks. Almost 100% teachers rarely or never used Language clubs or Language camps and 87% rarely or never used Language evenings. While there may have been limitations for teachers to do this, it is also clear that only 17% of teachers structured the language learning very often/often to have Student to student conversations. Similarly, only seven percent of teachers engaged students in Role plays, while 54% rarely or never used them in their teaching. Interestingly, almost half of teachers reported that they sometimes used Interaction with native speakers in their teaching, with a fifth using this kind of learning experience very often/often, but the remaining 32% using this rarely or never. It was not possible to explore on this occasion whether teachers’ proficiency levels impacted on their choice of learning experiences but it is reiterated that the majority of teachers came from the academic schools and none had visited an English speaking country. (It would be pertinent to consider teacher proficiency in any future research).

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These results also show that students’ choice of learning experiences that they think need more class time largely refer to areas that teachers currently neglect. Clearly, speaking is of concern to the students yet teachers are not using the students themselves as a resource to create opportunities for conversing with each other in English.

Teachers: Listening and speaking

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

EFL learning experiences

% f

re

q

u

e

n

c

y

r

a

ti

n

Often/Very Often 72 20 17 7 4 0 0

Sometimes 22 48 42 39 9 5 2

Never or Rarely 6 32 41 54 87 95 98

[image:6.595.59.381.141.397.2]

d. l. n. q. u. x. z.

Figure 1a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of specific listening and speaking learning experiences

Code Language learning experiences

d. Listening to recordings, radio or television

l. Interaction with native speakers

n. Student to student conversations

q. Role plays

u. Language clubs

x. Language camps

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Students: Listening and speaking

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Students' proficiency level and EFL learning preferences

% r

a

ti

n

g

Less time 2 6 13 20 15 18 16 27 25 18

No change needed 33 34 65 54 49 40 37 54 51 55

More time 65 60 22 26 36 42 47 19 24 27

[image:7.595.57.397.72.313.2]

Hc. Hi. Hm. Hp. Hs. Lc. Li. Lm. Lp. Ls.

Figure 1b: Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views on changing the amount of time spent on listening and speaking learning experiences

Code

Higher level STEP Test

Lower level STEP Test

Language learning experiences

Hc. Lc. Talking with native speakers of English

Hi. Li. Listening to songs in English

Hm. Lm. Talking in English about Japan and Japanese culture

Hp. Lp. Testing ability to speak English

Hs. Ls. Testing ability to understand spoken English

[image:7.595.58.385.386.550.2]

Reading and writing

Figure 2a shows the majority of teachers taught writing very often/often (59%) with 35% reporting that they did it sometimes. However, their teaching of writing showed limited involvement of students in Story writing with 85% of teachers using this learning experience rarely or never. Similarly, they were limited in their use of more creative reading strategies with 79% rarely or never using Free reading and 70% rarely or never using Jigsaw reading.

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English, students’ responses to the time they spend on this show relatively little difference except for the “more time” choice. Approximately 30% of he higher level English proficiency group prefer to have more time spent on testing their ability to read and write English and approximately 20% of the lower proficiency group recommend more time for this. In the main, these results suggest that teachers need to involve students in more purposeful, creative ways to use and develop their reading and writing skills.

Teachers: Reading and writing

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

EFL learning experiences

%

fre

q

u

e

n

c

y

ra

ti

n

Often/Very Often 59 12 8 6

Sometimes 35 18 13 9

[image:8.595.58.369.168.424.2]

Never or Rarely 6 70 79 85 f. o. p. r.

Figure 2a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of specific reading and writing learning experiences

Code Language learning experiences

f. Teaching writing

o. Jigsaw reading

p. Free reading

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Students: Reading and writing

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Students' proficiency level and EFL learning experiences

% r

a

ti

n

g

[image:9.595.61.429.72.337.2]

Less time 6 9 18 18 13 23 22 22 No change needed 53 44 52 54 60 48 55 58 More time 41 47 30 28 27 29 23 20 Ha. Hb. Hq. Hr. La. Lb. Lq. Lr.

Figure 2b: Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views on changing the amount of time spent reading and writing learning

experiences

Code

Higher level STEP Test

Lower level STEP Test

Language learning experiences

Ha. La. Reading

Hb. Lb. Writing

Hq. Lq. Testing ability to read English

Hr. Lr. Testing ability to write English

Communicative strategies and opportunity to communicate with English speakers

[image:9.595.59.391.419.535.2]
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Teachers: Communicative strategies

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

EFL learning experiences

%

fr

eq

u

en

cy r

at

in

Often/Very Often 29 20 17 7

Sometimes 49 48 42 39

[image:10.595.58.356.73.337.2]

Never or Rarely 23 32 41 54 j. l. n. q.

Figure 3a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of communicative strategies

and opportunities for students to communicate with English speakers in their language learning experiences

Code Language learning experiences

j. Communicative activities

l. Interaction with native speakers

n. Projects about culture

q. Role plays

Intercultural literacy learning experiences

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Teachers: Intercultural literacy teaching

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

EFL learning experiences

%

f

re

q

ue

nc

y

r

a

ti

Often/Very Often 45 17 4 0 0

Sometimes 49 57 9 5 2

Never or Rarely 6 26 87 95 98

[image:11.595.62.425.74.330.2]

h. m. u. x. z.

Figure 4a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of language learning experiences to support intercultural literacy

Code Language learning experiences

h. Teaching about culture

m. Projects about culture

u. Language clubs

x. Language camps

z. Language evenings

Figure 3b/4b combines Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views on changing the amount of time spent on using communicative strategies and language learning experiences to develop intercultural literacy. A majority of students with higher level proficiency saw the need for them to spend more time on Talking with native speakers of English (65%) and Learning to use English for everyday purposes (67%) and also Learning about the culture of English-speaking countries (50%). To a lesser extent these learning experiences were also identified by the lower proficiency students as needing more time in their language programs (42%, 49% and 29%).

Interestingly, the two groups of students did not differ greatly in their views on how much time should be spent using the internet to communicate with students in countries where English is spoken other than 11% more of the higher proficiency level students recommended more time (41% versus 30% respectively). There was also little difference in the two group’s views about learning by talking in English about Japan and Japanese culture.

[image:11.595.58.259.392.501.2]
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develop intercultural literacy so necessary for them to use English for everyday purposes and communicate via the internet with other English speakers.

Students: Communicative strategies, language and culture

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Students' proficiency level and EFL learning experiences

%

r

a

tin

g

Less time 2 8 13 13 3 18 15 19 27 11

No change needed 33 42 46 65 30 40 56 51 54 40

More time 65 50 41 22 67 42 29 30 19 49

Hc. Hd. Hg. Hm. Hn. Lc. Ld. Lg. Lm. Ln.

Figure 3b/4b: Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views on changing the amount of time spent on (3b) communicative strategies and (4b) opportunities for students to communicate with English speakers and use of culturally related language learning experiences

Code

Higher level STEP Test

Lower level STEP Test

Language learning experiences

Hc. Lc. Talking with native speakers of English.

Hd. Ld. Learning about the culture of English-speaking countries.

[image:12.595.60.489.111.410.2]
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Rote learning, drilling and practice exercises

Teachers’ reported frequency of use of language learning experiences that involved rote learning, drilling and practice exercises was very revealing (Figure 5a). In essence, the vast majority of teachers engaged students in pronunciation drills (89%) and formal grammar teaching (83%) very often or often. Seventy-five percent of teachers also engaged students very often or often in grammar exercises. No teacher reported using these learning experiences rarely or never. However, there was more variability with respect to the use of translation exercises with 58% of teachers using them very often or often, 23% sometimes an 19% rarely or never. There was greater variation with regards to rote memorisation of vocabulary with 39% of teachers using this strategy sometimes, 33% using it very often or often and 29% using it rarely or never.

Teachers: Drill and practice

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

EFL learning experiences

%

f

rrque

nc

y

ra

ti

n

g

Often/Very Often 89 83 75 58 33

Sometimes 11 17 25 23 39

Never or Rarely 0 0 0 19 29

[image:13.595.60.482.235.526.2]

a. b. c. g. i.

Figure 5a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of language learning experiences that involve rote learning, drilling and practice exercises

Code Language learning experiences

a. Pronunciation drills

b. Formal grammar teaching

c. Grammar exercises

g. Translation exercises

i. Rote memorisation of vocabulary

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practice exercises. While the two groups did not differ in their views about studying the set textbooks (approximately 20% of both groups recommended both more time and less time) a greater percentage of the higher proficiency group recommended more time be spent on practising accurate pronunciation (54%) and practising accurate grammar (48%). Thus, students’ views do show that they are concerned about English pronunciation and grammar as well as recognising the need for them to participate in learning experiences that provide opportunities to use English in a functional way.

Students: Drill and practice

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Students' proficiency level and EFL learning experiences

% r

a

ti

n

g

Less time 5 6 20 11 13 21

No change needed 41 56 63 50 47 62

More time 54 48 17 39 40 17

[image:14.595.62.476.182.493.2]

He. Hf. Ho. Le. Lf. Lo.

Figure 5b: Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views on changing the amount of time spent on use of language learning experiences involving rote learning, drilling and practice exercises

Code

Higher level STEP Test

Lower level STEP Test

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of teachers rarely or never used computer games and CDs in their teaching of the English language. Similarly, teachers’ use of language games was also limited in that only 21% of teachers used this strategy very often or often while 40% and 39% used it sometimes and rarely or never, respectively. In addition, 53% of teachers rarely or never used songs to teach the language. Thus, apart from teachers using recordings, radio or television their EFL pedagogy did not take up the opportunities available through the information communication technologies (ICTs) that are widely known today.

Consideration of the views of students (Figure 6b) shows that contrary to teachers’ practice, 60% of the higher proficiency group saw a need to spend more time on listening to songs in English compared with 47% of the lower proficiency group. Again highlighting the possible use of ICT, to a lesser extent, approximately a third of both groups saw a need to spend more time on playing language games in English.

Teachers: Language games and media

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

EFL learning experiences

% f

re

que

nc

y

r

a

ti

Often/Very Often 21 4 72 4

Sometimes 40 5 22 43

Never or Rarely 39 91 6 53

[image:15.595.62.477.251.522.2]

k. v. d. s.

Figure 6a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of language learning experiences that involve playing language games and using media

Code Language learning experiences

k. Language games

v. Using computer games, CD-Roms etc in English

d. Listening to recordings, radio or television

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Students: Language games and media

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Students' proficiency level and EFL learning experiences

% r

a

ti

n

g

Less time 11 6 21 16

No change needed 56 34 49 37

More time 33 60 30 47

[image:16.595.63.478.75.317.2]

Hh. Hi Lh. Li.

Figure 6b: Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views about changing the amount of time spent on (6b) using language learning experiences that involve playing language games and (7b) using language learning experiences that involve the media

Code

Higher level STEP Test

Lower level STEP Test

Language learning experiences

Hh. Hh. Playing language games in English.

Hi. Li.. Listening to songs in English.

Use of English for work and study

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in the future and using English in studying other subjects in school compared with approximately a quarter of the lower proficiency group recommending less time on these learning experiences. Overall it can be argued that the higher proficiency group’s responses reflect a greater sensitivity to the kind of learning experiences that best facilitate learning the English language compared with the lower proficiency group whose responses are more conservative when it comes to the possibility of change. These lower proficiency learners appear to be more likely to accept the way they are required to learn and appear to be less aware of how they might change things to learn more effectively.

Teachers: English for work and study

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

EFL learning experiences

%

f

req

u

en

cy

rat

in

Often/Very Often 68 20 17 7 4 0

Sometimes 28 48 57 39 15 8

Never or Rarely 4 32 26 54 81 92

[image:17.595.59.484.197.459.2]

e. l. m. q. t. w.

Figure 7a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of language learning experiences that involve the use of English for work and/or study

Code Language learning experiences

e. Directed tasks, including inquiries

l. Language games

m. Interaction with native speakers

q. Role plays

t. Activities involving internet

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Students: English for work and study

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Students % proficiency level and EFL learning

% r

a

ti

n

g

Less time 6 16 16 13 26 21

No change needed 42 61 59 50 61 63

More time 52 23 25 37 13 16

[image:18.595.64.480.71.357.2]

Hj. Hk. Hl. Lj. Lk. Ll.

Figure 7b: Higher level STEP Test proficient students’ and Lower level STEP Test proficient students’ views on changing the amount of time spent using language learning experiences involving the use of English for work and/or study

Code

Higher level STEP Test

Lower level STEP Test

Language learning experiences

Hj. Hj. Listening to songs in English.

Hk. Hk. Learning English for the job I want to do in the future.

Hl. Hl. Using English in studying other subjects in school.

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students’ choice of learning experiences that they think need more class time largely refer to areas that teachers currently neglect. Clearly, the ability to speak English is of concern to the students yet teachers are not using the students themselves as a resource to create opportunities for conversing with each other in English. That is, the more creative learning experiences that would afford opportunity to involve students themselves for the purposeful and communicative use of English and the acquisition of intercultural literacy are generally used much less frequently. These include such learning experiences as projects about culture, role plays, language games, writing stories and a variety of purposeful reading activities as well as using extra curricular, socially-based activities like language evenings, camps and clubs.

It was found that higher proficiency students tended to be more aware of the kinds of language learning experiences that would best facilitate their acquisition of the language and that their recommendations for change concurred substantially with the gaps identified in the teachers’ current practice. The research identifies a need for pedagogical change to facilitate students’ practical and functional use of English and the uptake of ICTs to link into communicating for real-life purposes in English. Though it is appreciated that there are possible difficulties in accessing computers and the internet for providing the opportunity for students to communicate and interact with native speakers of English, the research shows that particularly the higher level proficiency group of students see this as an opportunity to improve their acquisition of English in contrast to their teachers’ reported minimal use.

Similar concerns emerge when strategies for teaching reading and writing are considered since teachers seem to restrict their pedagogy to more traditional methods and so discount the many potential activities that would involve students in using these macro skills for more authentic purposes. Inevitably, the teachers’ approaches to developing students’ intercultural literacy appear limited on the basis of their reported pedagogy yet the higher proficiency students appear to have acquired knowledge about how they can best continue to learn. Also impacting upon this is for teachers to appreciate how activities that cause their students to need to use English, such as interactive language games, the use of computer games and other media, can motivate and give purpose to language learning. Similarly, though items to better explore the use of English for work and study were limited in number, acknowledgment of learning English for these purposes was not embedded in the teachers responses, although students identified the need for more time for this.

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that these pedagogical and assessment approaches are similar to those of neighbouring countries such as Korea (Park, 2006), Taiwan (2008) and China (Rao, 2001), it would be pertinent to investigate students’ awareness of language learning strategies in more depth according to their proficiency levels and their teachers’ pedagogy and assessment in these countries too. It would also be valuable to consider whether teachers’ English proficiency levels impacted upon their choice of learning experiences for students, and whether employment of native speakers has a significant impact on pedagogy and assessment in these EFL contexts.

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Appendix A: Language teaching strategies rated by teachers for frequency of use

role plays

plays/playlets

pronunciation drills

jigsaw reading

student to student

conversations

projects about culture

translation exercises

rote memorisation of

vocabulary

story writing

interaction with native speakers

communicative activities

playing language games in English

formal grammar teaching

grammar exercises

directed tasks, including inquiries

free reading

language evenings

language camps

language clubs

songs

activities involving internet

communication via email

teaching of culture

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Appendix B: Language learning experiences rated by students for possible change

reading (comprehension)

writing (composition)

talking with native speakers of English

learning about the culture of English-speaking countries

practising accurate pronunciation

practising accurate grammar

using the internet to communicate with students in countries where English is spoken

playing language games in English

listening to songs in English

learning English for the job I want to do in the future

using English in studying other subjects in school

using the internet in English for research purposes

talking in English about Japan and Japanese culture

learning to use English for everyday purposes

studying the set textbooks

testing ability to speak English

testing ability to read English

testing ability to write English

testing ability to understand spoken English

1 The STEP Test is administered by the Society for Testing English Proficiency (STEP) which is Japan’s largest testing body (EIKEN, 2007) and measures candidates

Figure

Table 1 Distribution of STEP Test takers’ purposes for and participation  in visits to English speaking countries
Figure 1a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of specific listening  and speaking learning experiences
Figure 2a shows the majority of teachers taught writing very often/often (59%) with 35% reporting that they did it sometimes
Figure 2a: Teachers’ reported frequency of use of specific reading  and writing learning experiences
+7

References

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